My copy of The Artist's Way from 2006 with my highlighter still in it, a quote I circled in 2006 not even realizing that in 2009 I would name our child after the author, a section I underlined in 2006 that I still find relevant to myself in 2014, my signature and doodle then and now.
In 2005 I had a job that paid well and I worked with great people, but I was miserable. It was a bad fit, I felt stuck. I hated work, I hated myself. I felt stagnant, older than the age on my driver's license, I was gaining weight and spending money on things I didn't even want. I started blogging, but I didn't really do much with it other than bitch and moan. A fellow blogger mentioned The Artist's Way and decided to do it for the first 12 weeks of January. I liked the idea of a virtual book club with her and other bloggers, so I bought the book and decided to do the 12 weeks.
Best decision ever made. Doing it unblocked my creativity. I got more into blogging and had direction. I started mediating on a regular basis and doing yoga several times a week. I felt stronger physically and mentally. I started looking for a new job, realizing the only thing holding me back was myself. All this, and my relationship with Karl improved too. I think The Artist's Way helped me be a better person.
That was 2006, and it's now 2014 and I feel stagnant again. Good job, but the rest is rough. I feel a bit lost with what direction to go with this blog, I feel a bit lost creatively, and I am taking it out on my body again. And so, I have pulled out my original copy of The Artist's Way and have decided to go through the 12-week process again.
And I'd love you to join me.
I am going to start this Sunday, giving a bit of time to get ready for it, and if you'd like to do it with me, it will give you time to get your own copy. Most libraries have them, though you may eventually want your own copy to highlight and dog ear and love to death. It's also available for Kindle. You will also need a notebook or a place to store loose leaf pages, for you will be writing every morning. You do NOT need to be a writer, or an artist of any manner. This is a project to help you unblock your creativity, whatever your creative juices may be. With The Artist's Way you can do it even if you feel you don't have a creative bone in your body, it's a way to clear your head, find yourself, jump start 2014. Do note that the book speaks a lot about God, but clearly states that you do not have to believe in God or be religious in any way to enjoy the process.
So each Sunday I will do a post about The Artist's Way, to kick off that week of the book. I encourage you to discuss it with me and with fellow readers in the comments. If you plan on writing about it on your blog, please link to your posts in the comments so we can come and chat on your site too. Let's help one another make 2014 a great year, an inspiring year!
More information on The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron:
- Wikipedia - The Artist's Way
- The Artist's Way Video Course via Julia Cameron's Site
- XO Jane piece about The Artist's Way Morning Pages
- YouTube videos about The Artist's Way
- Plus check out reviews on GoodReads, B&N, and Amazon
